My brother, the biker, said that according to his biker friends, Obama is gonna win

[graywarrior]

not because of Romney's offshore accounts. or Bain, or any stupid shit like that. He said that even brain dead bikers know what a do nothing congress Obama's had to deal with and that's why voters will vote to keep him in office.

Just thought you'd want to hear the scoop from a working class bar filled with crazies.

[Warpy]

1. I never found cycle scum to be particularly crazy

unless they were sampling too much of the meth they were cooking up. They're more likely than rank and file civilians to be paying attention to politics, probably to see what is going to come down on their heads next.

That they would know what Obama's been stuck dealing with is no surprise to me.

[Wait Wut]

4. Wow. 'Cycle Scum'

Nice broad brush you have there.

I've been riding (on the back, could never afford my own) for 25 years. My son rides, is a Marine vet and rides with other veterans. None of us do, cook, or sell meth or any other drugs.

Do you judge all groups by their stereotypes, or just bikers?

[bemildred]

5. +1.

"To live outside the law you must be honest", and you won't last long on a bike or in biker culture if you don't have your shit together, at least in certain ways.

[graywarrior]

6. Dylan quote, right?

[bemildred]

15. Yah. Good job.

"Absolutely Sweet Marie" if I remember right.

[graywarrior]

31. I'm obsessed

[graywarrior]

8. Yeah, I wouldn't call these guys scum.

They pretend to be boneheaded, but most of them are sharp as a tack. My brother looks like he'd rip your face off when actually, he has an IQ above 140 and writes goofy love songs.

[vaberella]

96. Class.n/t

[PD Turk]

9. Hey now

We prefer to be called "scooter trash"

[Submariner]

57. Damn straight

[Fawke Em]

97. Nothing dumb about that!

Saves a trip to the laundry-mat, saves money and saves the environment!

[NBachers]

99. What a great picture! That gets the laugh of the day

Looks like ya take pretty good care of them hogs, too

Life on the road?

[Tommy_J]

77. I prefer the adjective crusty over scum

[awoke_in_2003]

94. I like bike rat...

I have no problem being called that, of course the only person who calls me that is a 65 year old coworker who is also a bike rat.

[TalkingDog]

10. Yeah.... about that.... I'll have to agree that is a bit harsh.

Ages ago, I worked in a bar. A chapter of the Outlaws used to come around on occasion. They were nice, polite and even when those full of drunken bravado would try to antagonize them, they would quietly mind their own business.

I don't think I've met this "cycle scum". Could you provide an example of what you mean?

[graywarrior]

12. Probably the ones that got rejected from being in the club

[HappyMe]

13. Cycle scum? Meth?

Wow. Big damn brush you have there.

[LadyHawkAZ]

14. "Cycle scum"??

Dude. 99% of us ARE rank and file civilians.

[Warpy]

42. Um,

#1, it was ironical
#2, not a dude and you know it
#3, it was largely complimentary

[LadyHawkAZ]

64. Sorry, I tend to use "Dude" as a generic "Hey, you!"

not as a gender-specific pronoun.

And it was largely complimentary up to the "scum" and "meth" bits, but those were kinda big important bits.

[hifiguy]

17. I never met a biker - not that I've met all that many -

who generally wasn't pretty mellow unless you went out of your way to mess with them. If you do mess with them, well, that's a different story but it's your own damn fault.

[Voice for Peace]

37. I once lived in a neighborhood full of bikers chainlink and pit bulls,

plus assorted immigrants. It was the safest I've ever felt.
They looked out for the neighborhood.

[polly7]

44. I've worked in bars where the bikers were the ones I turned to for help

first if sh* started hitting the fan. I don't remember them starting much themselves at all. One quiet night a whole table of them even helped me finish up all the tissue flowers for my brother's wedding car decorations. Long time ago. They were pretty nice flowers, too.

[Fawke Em]

98. My neighbor is a biker and runs a bike fix-it shop on the side.

He's certainly our neighborhood watch.

But he's not scum and certainly not a meth-head. However, he DOES like his Crown Royal and Mello Yello. LOL!

[JaneyVee]

27. Hey! I drive this bad girl around the city often.

[graywarrior]

34. !

[ret5hd]

41. I don't believe you...

Let's see your ink!

(who's with me here? Anybody? Anybody?)

[Warpy]

43. My baskets are on the back

and the motor is electric, but I drive much the same.

[HiPointDem]

85. what is that?

[awoke_in_2003]

95. We share a common enemy...

idiot cage drivers and their cell phones.

[Ghost in the Machine]

88. you should have a nice little chat with the "cycle scum" who founded "Toys for Tots"...

along with many other groups of "cycle scum" who do runs for cancer benefits and other causes... or how about that group of "cycle scum" known as the "Patriot Guard Riders", who shield families of fallen soldiers from real scum, like the Phelps inbreeds who protest at their funerals.

What a pathetic broad brush you paint with. THIS particular piece of "cycle scum" (me) raised over $3000, in one day, by myself, for Toys for Tots for disadvantaged families in my area. What have YOU done to help anyone?

Un-fucking-believable! You should be ashamed of yourself, and the rest of DU should be ashamed of you too... I'd almost bet the only bikers you've ever been exposed to are the ones stereotyped on tv, huh?

Ghost

[hifiguy]

91. The few bikers I have met have been almost uniformly mellow guys.

Even hard core patched-in gang bikers. Be cool with them and they will be cool with you. They're like the Mob - cool unless you're a competitor. Bikers have no beef with "civilians" unless they're aggressive assholes.

[Ghost in the Machine]

100. Yeah, it's usually the wannabees and rejects who act like assholes, giving the rest a bad name..

I will admit, though, that there are some MC gangs out there that are into some bad stuff. To deny it would be lying to myself, as I know from firsthand experience. That being said, when you're involved in illegal activities the last thing you want to do is draw negative attention to yourself and/or your Brothers.

SYLO

Ghost

[elleng]

2. JUST the sort of news I want to hear!

THANKS!

[freshwest]

7. +1

[WooWooWoo]

3. most of the guys I know in the army

don't necessarily like Obama, and some outright hate him, but they pretty much all think he's going to win.

None of them actually like Romney, which helps cement their view. It's easier to think you might win if you actually like your candidate. I was convinced Kerry was going to win in 2004 because I liked him.

[pinboy3niner]

11. Check the news on Obama's visit with the troops at Ft. Bliss today

Good speech, plus he announced more resources for supporting troops and vets per an Executive Order he signed today--especially mental health services and outreach.

CNN covered it live and probably will post video. I'm sure it also is available at whitehouse.gov .

[progressivebydesign]

24. Always amazes me that the troops would support the Party that has no regard for them.

They are all lip service when it comes to the troops.. they have their little ribbon magnets, and speeches, but frankly President Obama has done more for them than any other recent President. He's the guy fighting for their health care, and the First Lady has been dedicated to making changes to benefit military families. So weird the disconnect that people get..

[WooWooWoo]

72. people don't understand a certain aspect of military culture that lends itself to supporting the GOP

its simply that a lot of soldiers like being deployed and going to war. Not to fight and kill (though for some that's a part of it) - but because they make more money when they're deployed.

Republicans = war. War = combat pay, hazard pay, ect. It means the chance to earn medals and ribbons and advance up in rank quickly, which, also = more money.

It also means more $$$ for bullets and equipment and other stuff for training, so the commanders like it.

My first sergeant was pretty clear that he takes the good with the bad. He said, and I quote - "When a Republican is in office we get paid better and have more money for training...but we also get fucked up a lot more."

For some, its a risk worth taking.

Not for me, which is why I'm getting out in less than a year regardless of whether Obama is re-elected. I'm not suffering though another year in hell for a measly $300 more a month.

[haele]

63. The Navy and MC guys(and gals) who "don't like Obama" are either officers or Oathkeeper types -

- who have been told what to believe by their church or by Rush/Faux or the ones who drank the Ronnie Reagan Koolaid.
The rest of us either could not care less, or really appreciate the difference in the way the average sailor or grunt has been treated by this administration's DoD and the VA.
We know it's not like the 1990 Bush41vSaddam cage fight where we were playing "Ohh-Rah" in the sand-box for 100 days - and that the these Republicans so want this time in the Middle East to be like. Some of the officers may just be buying into that American Exceptionalism line, but more of them that claim they're Republicans (or Libertarians- LOL!) are planning to make money using their pension as stock-market gambling chips while they're double-dipping as either a high-level GS or a high-level MIC employee to really care about what happens to the working citizens in the lower or middle classes.

Most of the enlisted - especially the career enlisted - who are not either Oathkeepers or Militia Freaks will probably vote for President Obama.

Haele

[jimlup]

16. When you said he was a "Biker" I thought "Tour De France"

My bad... I guess I've had biking on my mind since the Pro Challenge of Colorado.

[graywarrior]

19. LOL

My brother just called me from the beach where he is riding his bicycle while wearing his Harley Boots. He's a nut.

[LadyHawkAZ]

39. Totally OT:

I love those Pallas cats!

[graywarrior]

46. Badass, aren't they?

[-..__...]

30. Just so there's no confusion in the future...

[graywarrior]

32. LOL!

[LadyHawkAZ]

38. !!!

[KansDem]

58. "Biker" and "Bikee"

I had a roommate once who was an avid bicyclist. He called himself a "Bikee"

In our conversations, "Biker" was a biker and "Bikee" was a bicyclist.

[graywarrior]

62. My brother calls Triumph & Honda riders baby bikees lol.

[KansDem]

71. Then I must have been a "baby bikee"

I rode a 1964 Honda 160 (bored out to a 175) when I was a senior in high school. When I went to the motorcycle shop for buy a helmet, I was told the store had one helmet for $20 and another one for $40. I asked "What's the difference?" and the response was "Well, do you have a $20 head or a $40 head?"

I took my Hondo on the freeway (southern California) only once. I got on at one onramp and immediately off the next offramp. It was too scary for me to go 65 mph! I kept thinking "What if the front tire suddenly came off?" I stayed on surface streets after that.

I had that Honda for about a year. Fortunately, it broke before I did!

That was 1970.

[graywarrior]

75. LOL, that's a funny story!

[jimlup]

78. I'll be sure to make a note of it!

Thanks!

[blue moon 2012]

18. Oh goodie!

And that helps me how...?

[graywarrior]

20. Careful, grasshopper.

[progressivebydesign]

25. enjoy your stay, albeit brief. n/t

[blue moon 2012]

26. Enjoy your adolescent hero worship.

I am guessing you have no Afghan relatives terrorized by drones...

[graywarrior]

29. ,

[a geek named Bob]

69. blue moon 2012

Isn't that a little bit over the top?

[FarPoint]

60. I did like the screen name.

[graywarrior]

70. I used to drink at the Blue Moon

[FarPoint]

74. I also think yesterday was a Blue Moon.

Being the second full moon in August. Or ..it's tonight.

[graywarrior]

76. Looks pretty full right now!

[gateley]

83. Seattle's Blue Moon

[FarPoint]

92. That is a great neon sign.

Love it!

The moon is feminine....

link:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/122010216



MOON – Although the Moon is not technically a “planet,” she sure is astrologically. She’s probably the most complex of all 11 planets (including Chiron and Pluto.) Representing the feminine, she rules such a wide range of topics such as Goddess, women’s issues, family, home, nest, upbringing, birthing, property, land, tradition, personal habits, one’s comfort zone and on and on.

[gateley]

93. Here's a brief history of the tav -- interesting. It opened in the 30’s, but don't

know how old the sign is. I'm 59 and I know it's been there my whole life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Moon_Tavern

[reformist2]

21. also, does the increasing number of "pretty boy" Repugs bother them?

[graywarrior]

23. I can only say what my brother told me and that's these particular guys

don't care one way or the other about Romney. Who knows if they're even vote. They just believe other voters are more upset about the republican congress to ever want to vote for Romney. I know my brother will vote for Obama.

[Blanks]

28. We had a car picked up by a tow truck.

Rough looking dude. Started talking to the wife. Nothing but disdain for the republicans. Voted democrat since the 80's.

I think any reasonable person likes Obama, and I think the right wing attempt to make this about race is going to backfire.

There are a lot of reasonable people who live in red states that are just quiet about who they're voting for. My wife talked to her doctor at length about his gun-toting' religious right friends. What gun do you think Jesus would have; he asked one of them.

If Obama doesn't win it's because they stole the election somehow.

[wakemewhenitsover]

79. "If Obama doesn't win it's because they stole the election somehow."

I agree. Last election, I believe there was the usual Republican election fraud, but Obama's popularity overwhelmed it.

[NNN0LHI]

33. I agree and thanks for posting

[Cha]

35. I like reading about those who are optimistic!

The opposite of Michael Moore's prediction.

Thanks graywarrior!

[graywarrior]

47. Yeah, I saw his Debbie Downer post on fb.

[cyclezealot]

36. Biker.. which kind.

those who peddle or those who cheat with a about 65 Horsepower..
Speaking for us who peddle. We are not stupid and I'd wager the cycle vote will be overwhelmingly for Obama. Many of us pedal for the environment. A vote for Mitt would be against our best interests.

[graywarrior]

48. These are motorcycle, badass types, cyclezealot.

[Fumesucker]

65. Meh, I do both..

Two wheels good, four wheels baaad..

[wakemewhenitsover]

80. lol!

[TomClash]

40. Are they registered to vote?

Do they have Id? And will they vote?

[graywarrior]

51. Yes, they all have motorcycle licenses

They probably will vote. They do vote in local elections.

[TomClash]

73. Excellent

Smart guys.

[KurtNYC]

45. Chris Rock tweeted something similar

4hChris Rock‏@chrisrockoz

If you vote against Obama because he can't get stuff done, it's like saying, "this guy can't cure cancer. I'm gonna vote for cancer." #RN

[vlyons]

49. Bikers know BS

when they hear it, and arrogant phonies when they see 'em

[RagAss]

50. I bartended in a biker bar for years.....

Much more sense in there than in Tampa all week !!!!!

[graywarrior]

53. Yep. Keep your lip zipped and watch the fun

[RagAss]

55. You got that right !

[Cleita]

59. Isn't that the truth.

I bartended too, not in a biker bar, but I did have biker customers who liked to play pool. Like I said down thread I found them to be pretty straightforward and no nonsense.

[DiverDave]

87. When I drove my truck

'over the road' (48 states and Canada) If I got stuck over a weekend I'd ask where the bars where. ( when I still drank beer)
Invariably one or 2 would be "one of THOSE places (bikers, rough crowd,etc,)
I'd tell them that "thats where the FUN happens."

I had alot of fun in "THOSE" places!

[NightWatcher]

52. would any of said bikers like to work as poll watchers with me?

I think it would be a fun way to counter people trying to keep others from voting

[graywarrior]

54. Yeah, a sign that reads, "I dare you to not vote for Obama," lol.

[Cleita]

56. Say what you like about bikers but they are pretty

straightforward and know when they are being hoodwinked.

[hollysmom]

61. thanks, nice to hear

[Coyotl]

66. My brother, the Marine, said the same thing, and the farmer, and my sister the teacher

But, my brother the delusional millionaire redneck thinks Romney has enough money to buy it

[graywarrior]

68. Oh, he does!

[Jamaal510]

67. Glad to know that more people have realized

how important it is for a president to have a helpful Congress.

[markpkessinger]

81. Can we appoint bikers as poll watchers? ;) n/t

[demwing]

105. Didn't the Stones ask a similar question once?

Can't remember how that worked out, though. Shame...

[Billy888]

82. THANKS!

THANKS!

[pinboy3niner]

84. With that shield, it reminds me of the Honda 50 I had in HS

Mine was black and white, and I got it when I was 15 years old.

Pretty good bike, too. It took me from L.A. to San Diego (Sepulveda Boulevard all the way) and up 3/4 of a hill in Sand Canyon--before it started rolling backward and flipped over on top of me. Despite my bruises and scars, I loved that bike!

While I was off in Vietnam, my little brother wrecked my bike just before he shipped out to join me over there. C'est la vie...

[Kurovski]

90. I just knew you had bruises and scars.

[B Calm]

86. You'd have to be pretty damn ignorant

not to see what has happened over the past four years!

[graywarrior]

89. Yeah, but being aware and then doing something about it are two different things.

I hope people vote.

[aquart]

101. But what do they say about taking Congress?

[brewens]

102. The bikers I know tend to be conservative and many are vets. Most of them are

from Eastern Washington state so I wouldn't expect a majority of them to agree. Still it's nice to hear that from somewhere.

The bikers I'm around a pretty good people and don't have much to do with 1%ers or any huge clubs.

[graywarrior]

103. These guys are a little more conservative, but this is MA.

I'm surprised they even discuss politics.

[fascisthunter]

104. I don't buy it

most bikers would love to see the whole system crash and are right wing, very anti-socialist.

My experience is with Hells Angels. Thanks.